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MALTATODAY 9 June 2019

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9 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 9 JUNE 2019 NEWS JAMES DEBONO THE Msida local council is ob- jecting to the proposed height limitation of seven floors on Swatar farmland added to the development zones in 2006. In a first shot from the oppo- sition to the massive construc- tion project, the Msida council said that under current plan- ning laws, this would translate into nine floors and a recessed floor, which it deemed "exces- sive" for the area. The height limitation was proposed in a zoning applica- tion presented by the various owners of the site. The local plan stipulates that the Plan- ning Authority should prepare a development brief for the area before development by private owners is considered. But a spokesperson for the PA told MaltaToday that it has no intention of issuing such a zon- ing plan for public consultation and will instead consider the zoning application presented by the owners of the site. Owners have presented plans which envisage over 11,000sq.m of commercial development, 31,500sq.m of mixed residential and com- mercial development, and 16,000sq.m of purely resi- dential development on the 123,000sq.m site. The landowners include S.C. & Co Limited, PD Finance Limited, Paul Vella's P&S Ltd, Anton Camilleri's Camcas Ltd, MDA president Sandro Chetcuti, entrepreneur James Barbara and several other in- dividual owners, including the Lands Authority. In a document penned by architect William Lewis, the Msida council questioned the compatibility of tall build- ings with the surroundings, noting that the neighbouring development clusters have a height limitation of three and four floors, and the proposed height will be higher than that of Mater Dei hospital and the university across the road. Moreover the area lies atop a valley. "The visual implications of such proposed height limi- tation will be stark and consid- ered detrimental to the nature of the area." The Msida council is also in- sisting that green spaces should take the form of "communal outdoor space". Plans submit- ted by the developers indicate that 22.1% (27,139sq.m) of the site will be designated as green spaces. But as mapped out, the designated green spaces are "elongated in shape and form, implying that most of this area will simply consist of front gar- dens." The council described such spaces as a "semi-public do- main", and insisted that devel- opment be guided by the Spa- tial Plan for the Environment and Development (SPED) ac- cording to which "urban ar- eas should provide a safe living environment supported by the provision of adequate social and community facilities, green modes of travel together with a thriving business community." The council is also asking for clarifications regarding the fu- ture of rustic buildings which have architectural features worthy of protection as well as on "existing protected trees and shrubbery" also located within the area. Msida council objects to Swatar development plans OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER MINISTRY FOR HEALTH As part of the Project "ESF 02.053 – Developing Allied Health Capacity to Sustain Health Care Needs", the Ministry for Health has acquired European funds to sponsor candidates to undergo training abroad to become a: Genetic Counsellor (Master's Degree) Orthoptists (Bachelor's Degree) Optometrists (Bachelor's Degree) Sponsorship covers tuition abroad, paid books and equipment, travel, subsistence whilst abroad, employment and salary whilst following the course and employment following successful comple- tion. More information on these courses can be accessed from the Government website http:// deputyprimeminister.gov.mt/en/ahcs/Pages/ESF-projects.aspx or contact: +356 2545 6831 or +356 2545 6886 Interested candidates are to submit their application by not later than 12.00 noon (Central Euro- pean Time) on Monday, 24 th June 2019 through the Online Government Recruitment Portal on https://recruitment.gov.mt/ In a first shot from the opposition to the massive construction project, the Msida council said that under current planning laws, this would translate into nine floors and a recessed floor, which it deemed "excessive" for the area

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